The title of this assignment is Personal Philosophy Paper.

It was completed in NUR 4142

Synthesis of Nursing Practice. The specific program outcome that this assignment
demonstrates is Program Outcome #2 - Practice empathetic caring within the framework of the
Catholic health ministry. The purpose of this assignment was to build on my philosophy papers
written in NUR 1100, and write a philosophy of nursing paper describing how my philosophy
has changed over the course of the program and incorporate what I have learned from Patricia
Benners book. This assignment exemplified Program Outcome #2 because it required that I
reflect on my philosophy of nursing, which included the concepts of empathy and caring within
the nursing profession. Also, this assignment encouraged me to discuss my values and the Bon
Secours Catholic health ministry values that are reflected in my nursing practice such as justice
and compassion.

PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING

David Krukiel
Personal Philosophy Paper
NUR 4142 Synthesis of Nursing Practice
March 21, 2015
Professor Wilkins

PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING

Nursing is a unique profession that involves caring for individuals, sometimes in their
most vulnerable moments, on a day-to-day basis. Nurses facilitate a caring patient-nurse
relationship and create a healing environment while promoting health restoration and disease
prevention. The decisions nurses make such as clinical reasoning and patient education can
directly affect the long-term well-being of patients and their families. Therefore, it is important
nurses develop their beliefs and values regarding nursing as a profession and patient-nurse
relationships. These beliefs and values can be stated in a philosophy of nursing. It is imperative
nurses develop a philosophy of nursing to help guide them in the decisions they make on a daily
basis both in clinical situations and their personal lives. The purpose of this paper is to develop a
framework that describes my philosophy of nursing and share my personal philosophy of
nursing. Also, Patricia Benners theory From Novice to Expert or Skill Acquisition in Nursing
Model is described in relationship to which stage of skill acquisition most accurately represents
my current professional development.
Chitty and Black (2011) define philosophies of nursing as statements of beliefs about
nursing and expressions of values in nursing that are used as bases for thinking and acting (p.
298). Philosophies can either state individual values and beliefs or collectively state the values
and beliefs of certain groups such as hospitals or nursing schools (Chitty & Black, 2011).
Beliefs about people, the environment, health, and nursing serve as the building blocks for the
majority of philosophies of nursing (Chitty & Black, 2011). Nurses use philosophies of nursing
on a day-to-day basis. They help guide nurses in making daily decisions, provide direction, and
promote effectiveness (Chitty & Black, 2011). The beliefs and values a nurse decides to adopt
will ultimately affect how they practice in the profession.

PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING

I define nursing utilizing numerous concepts and my beliefs and values regarding the
nursing profession. I define nursing as a holistic profession that strives to help individuals
achieve maximum well-being through healing relationships. I believe the core of nursing is
caring and caring forms the nurse-patient relationship. Nurses provide holistic care to promote
wellness, prevent disease, and provide comfort throughout the span of care. Health is not viewed
as just absence of disease but the harmony of body, mind, and soul. Also, nurses must practice
with a non-judgmental attitude and care for all types of patients regardless of race or
socioeconomic status. Nurses serve as role models and must portray a positive self-image. I
believe nursing education is imperative to the definition of nursing. Nursing education
empowers nurses with knowledge and evidence to become competent caregivers, and promotes
the use of clinical reasoning and clinical judgment to produce safe and quality health outcomes.
In addition, I believe nursing involves serving as patient advocates to promote social justice and
provide quality care to all patients in order to achieve optimal health and well-being. Nurses
must be active in their patients care from admission and following discharge in order to ensure
their health needs are met. Furthermore, I believe nursing has the greatest impact on patient care
because nurses are the main bedside caregiver. Every nurse-patient interaction must be treated
equally with respect and compassion in order to promote optimal health and wellness.
Ultimately, nursing is a very complex profession that can be defined in numerous ways and it is
up to the individual nurse to develop their own personal definition of nursing.
My personal philosophy of nursing is reflected in my nursing practice on a day to day
basis in numerous ways. I believe I promote a healing environment by maintaining a positive
attitude and actively listening to my patients and their concerns. I use therapeutic
communication, therapeutic touch, and patient education in a holistic manner to promote healing.

PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING

I always view my patients as holistic individuals that are all unique and require patient-centered
care based on their individual needs. When viewing patients holistically it is my goal in ensure
all aspects of their well-being are addressed including their physiological, psychological, and
social well-being. Also, I seek to educate my patients on disease prevention to avoid disease and
alterations in health. I provide care in a non-judgmental manner with all types of patients. I
provide the same type and amount of care regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or health
problems. It is my duty to advocate for my patient, and I voice concern for their needs such as
medication changes and patient education. In addition, I am committed to nursing education and
utilize my knowledge and expertise to seek the best evidence-based practice in order to provide
safe, quality care. Furthermore, I believe I serve as a positive role model for my patients and
model a healthy lifestyle, encouraging my patients to do the same to prevent disease and promote
wellness.
An example of a nurse-patient encounter that demonstrates application of my personal
philosophy of nursing is when I cared for a post-surgical left ventricular assist device (LVAD)
patient. This patient was a heavy smoker for 20 years which contributed to his heart failure and
need for an LVAD. I provided him with non-judgmental care regardless of his medical history. I
was actively present in his room, educated him on his medications and procedures, and utilized
therapeutic communication. I viewed him holistically and strived to improve his health
physiologically by administering medications and monitoring vitals, and psychologically and
socially by being present, actively listening, and engaging in therapeutic communication with
him and his family. Also, I utilized evidence-based practice to wean his dobutamine drip and
encouraged him to use his incentive spirometer. I provided patient education on diet and
avoidance of smoking to promote his health and prevent further disease progression. In addition,

PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING

I was an advocate for the patient by accurately and honestly reporting off to the oncoming nurse
about the patients condition and the patients concerns.
My values and beliefs have changed since I wrote my original Personal Philosophy of
Nursing Paper in NUR1100. Ultimately, my values and beliefs have changed in the sense that I
place more value now on treating patients holistically in a non-judgmental manner. As a student
nurse, my beliefs and values are centered on the patient. However, many times patients can be
verbally and emotionally abusive, and unwilling to participate in their care. Therefore, it is
extremely important to look at these patients in a holistic manner to understand their situation in
order to find a way to empathize with them and provide a healing environment. Also, it is
always important to have a non-judgmental attitude during difficult nurse-patient relationships.
Nurses must value having a non-judgmental attitude in order to provide quality care to all
patients and promote healing in a caring environment. Currently, I believe I should treat patients
holistically, and I have a duty to educate patients in order to prevent disease and promote healing.
I believe that I should remain nonjudgmental in every nurse-patient relationship. Now, my
values include caring as a foundation for relationships, altruism, empathy, presence, illness
prevention, and promotion of health. Also, I now heavily recognize the importance of patient
education. Patient education empowers patients to promote their health and well-being and
avoid disease. I believe education is the most powerful tool a nurse can use to promote optimal
wellness for their patients and it is a core concept of the definition of nursing. Together, my
beliefs and values are interrelated and form my philosophy of nursing, which help guide me in
making decisions as a competent nurse.
Patricia Benners theory From Novice to Expert or Skill Acquisition in Nursing Model
utilizes the Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition and applies it to nursing. The Dreyfus Model of

PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING

Skill Acquisition theorizes that when obtaining and developing a skill, a student will pass
through five levels of proficiency including novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient,
and expert. Following the Dreyfus model and analysis of nursing situations, Patricia Benner was
able to describe nursing characteristics and skills at each level and identify teaching needs.
Nursing skills included skilled nursing interventions and clinical judgment skills, and the applied
skill of nursing in clinical situations. The novice nurse has had no experience in real clinical
situations. The advanced beginner nurse has dealt with enough real clinical situations to note
patterns and demonstrate averagely acceptable performance. The competent nurse is typically a
nurse who has worked at the same job for 2 to 3 years and is able to see the long term
consequences of their decisions. The proficient nurse conceptualizes a clinical situation as a
whole and its meaning in long-term goals. The expert nurse no longer depends on analytic
principle to understand clinical situations and more heavily relies on intuition for each situation
(Benner, 2001).
I believe the stage of skill acquisition that most accurately represents my current
professional development is advanced beginner. I believe that I demonstrate marginally
acceptable performance. I have dealt with enough real life clinical situations especially in the
cardiac intensive care unit to note recurring meaningful situational components. For example, I
can recognize when a patients hemodynamic status is changing and how to titrate drips based on
those findings. Also, I can tell the differences between assessment findings such as heart tones
and lung sounds, and suggest clinical interventions based on those findings. I have moved
beyond the novice stage because I have encountered real clinical situations that have required
clinical judgment. I do not feel that I am competent yet because I need much more experience
and practice in the clinical setting. In order to move to the next stage of skill acquisition I will

PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING

focus on my nursing skills and interventions and how they will affect the long-range goals set for
my patient. I will work on organizing and prioritizing the care of my patients. In addition, I
must remain organized and set goals for myself. Furthermore, to become a competent nurse I
must graduate nursing school, obtain an RN job, and work for two to three years before I feel I
am competent.
My philosophy of nursing will guide my education and practice as a nurse. It will allow
me to make competent decisions and be the most effective nurse that I can be. My beliefs and
values expressed in my nursing philosophy can be applied on a day-to-day basis, and they will be
reflected in the care that I give my patients and their families. It will guide me to provide
patient-centered care in order prevent illness and promote wellness. Also, my nursing
philosophy will serve as a resource to clarify my decisions and nurse-patient relationships. In
addition, my philosophy of nursing reminds me of the importance of ongoing education in
nursing and the increased importance of education on positive patient outcomes. As a nurse I
plan on striving to continuously educate myself, my patients, and their families utilizing my
beliefs and values.
It is clear that philosophies of nursing guide nurses in making daily decisions and are an
important aspect of the nursing profession. The beliefs and values that I choose to practice will
affect the care I give to my patients. I believe it is critical that I use my philosophy of nursing as
a guide so my patients are cared for in a holistic and compassionate manner, and the best possible
outcomes for my patients are achieved. I know throughout my educational program and career
as a nurse, my philosophy of nursing will need to be revised as my beliefs and values change
over time. However, currently my philosophy of nursing serves as a foundation representing my
beliefs and values, and who I want to be as a student nurse and nurse in the future.

PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING

References

PHILOSOPHY OF NURSING
Benner, P. (2001). From novice to expert: Excellence and power in clinical nursing
practice (commemorative ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
Chitty, K., & Black, B. (2011). Professional nursing: Concepts and challenges (6th ed.).
Maryland Heights, MO: Saunders.

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